Develop a Chilling Premise for Your Horror Screenplay
ABOUT THE WEBINAR
Behind every great horror film is a profound premise that resonates with society at large. It is the illusive, underlying question that drives every aspect of the story, character and plot. While rarely explicitly stated in the actual script, creating a marketable premise is a vital part of the screenplay writing process. Examples are:
Does man have free will or is fate set in stone?
Is there really an afterlife?
What would happen if Werewolves and Vampires crossed bloodlines?
In short, a premise is a hypothesis that creates the purpose for your story to exist in the first place. It is the state of affairs from which the plot is launched.
But in Hollywood, the premise is boiled down to what your story is about and must capture the attention of every person you encounter in the horror movie making process. Examples are:
A young girl is possessed by an ancient demon.
A touristy beach town is terrorized by a giant shark.
A sweet pregnant woman is overrun by her evil child.
Join Hollywood's "Queen of Horror" Mylo Carbia as she shares her unique insight into what makes a chilling horror premise, and how to use innovative brainstorming techniques to create a library of in-demand screenplays that will garner the attention of agents, producers and audiences alike.
During these 90 minutes, you will learn what types of premises Hollywood agents and producers are looking for, how to mine fresh ideas from current events, how to merge old concepts into new settings, how to effectively blend other genres into horror, and how to implement Mylo's unique formula for staying ahead of the trend-curve by creating characters, plot twists and surprise endings designed to completely outsmart horror aficionados around the world.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- What is a premise and why it's the single most important part of your pitch
- Why the right premise will instantly sell your story
- Which horror films have the best and worst premises and why
- Why horror audiences are immune to old formulas and how to combat it
- How to create genuine shock and suspense in your writing
- How to create legendary protagonists that will reflect new societal ideals
- How to create franchise-worthy antagonists that stand the test of time
- How to choose settings that create entrapment and suspense
- How to add new spins on traditional storylines
- How to use suspense foreplay as your weapon of entertainment
- How to create scenes that burn into moviegoers' minds for years
- How to break Hollywood conventions without getting shut out
- How to combine horror with other genres to create fresh storylines
- What you need to know before writing Zombies, Vampires or Werewolves
- Why writing the ending first makes a better screenplay
- How to make your story timeless and appealing to all cultures
- How to write a backstory worthy of a spin-off television series
- How to write "red herring" scenes audiences will love
- Why you should include the one physical sense that everyone forgets to use
- How to fish small town news headlines for fresh storylines
- How to carve a writing niche out of a crowded marketplace
- How social media has completely changed the horror community
- Why you should create a killer writer platform while selling your screenplay
WHO SHOULD WATCH?
- Writers who love the horror genre
- Writers who want to write their first horror screenplay
- Writers who want to learn advanced tips and tricks within the horror genre
- Writers currently revising old horror scripts for resubmission
- Writers who fear their concept is overdone in the marketplace
- Writers wanting to advance to the top of the horror genre
- Writers wanting to learn the skill of creating dark, impactful scenes
- Writers who want a piece of the lucrative horror genre
- Writers frustrated with rejection of their horror scripts
- Filmmakers wanting to make awesome low-budget horror films